Warm weather returns this week. Cooler with a chance of rain this weekend. Light mountain showers Saturday, breezy offshore winds Sunday.
Discussion
Offshore low has closed off and is slowly drifting south along 130W to the west of SoCal. High clouds are streaming north ahead of the low into NorCal, and skies are partly cloudy across the region early this morning. Winds are generally light with only a few easterly gusts of 10-15 mph in the northern Sierra as surface pressure gradient begins to transition to offshore.
Warmer and drier conditions lie ahead for interior NorCal for the remainder of the the week as high pressure strengthens and light to moderate offshore flow develops. Highs today will be around 5-10 degrees warmer than Monday’s, and an additional 5-10 degrees of warming is expected on Wednesday. Highs across the northern Sacramento will top out in the mid to upper 90s on Wednesday as northerly flow brings local compressional warming.
A series of short-waves passing to the north will gradually weaken the ridge Thursday and Friday leading to a bit of cooling by the end of the week.
Extended Discussion (Saturday through Tuesday)
Upper trough progged through interior NorCal Saturday with limited associated moisture. Some light showers possible with best chances over the northern mountains. High pressure builds inland behind it for Sunday into Tuesday with some gusty north to east wind.
Some modeling suggests another short wave trough moving through in the Tue/Wed time frame. Below normal high temperatures expected through the extended forecast period.